MLB World Series Bracket 2024: MVP Race Before Yankees vs. Dodgers Game 5

The New York Yankees found their offense Tuesday night, so the 2024 MLB World Series found a pulse.

Backed all the way against the wall in an 0-3 hole, the Yankees erupted for an 11-4, series-extending win over the Los Angeles Dodgers.

New York, which managed just seven total runs over the first three contests, slugged three homers in the game, including a third-inning grand slam from Anthony Volpe and a three-run shot by Gleyber Torres in the eighth.

History says the Yankees are merely delaying the inevitable—no team has ever recovered from an 0-3 deficit in the World Series—but the Dodgers will still want this series to end as soon as possible.

Before these clubs lock horns again Wednesday night, let's take stock of the series so far, lay out the remaining schedule and spotlight the MVP candidates on both sides.

World Series Results, Remaining Schedule

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NEW YORK, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 29: Anthony Volpe #11 of the New York Yankees reacts as he hits a grand slam home run during the third inning of Game Four of the 2024 World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Yankee Stadium on October 29, 2024 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

Game 1: Dodgers 6, Yankees 3 (10)

Game 2: Dodgers 4, Yankees 2

Game 3: Dodgers 4, Yankees 2

Game 4: Yankees 11, Dodgers 4

Game 5: Wednesday, Oct. 30—Dodgers at Yankees

Game 6*: Friday, Nov. 1—Yankees at Dodgers

Game 7*: Saturday, Nov. 2—Yankees at Dodgers

*If necessary

**All games at 8:08 p.m. ET on Fox

Dodgers' MVP Candidates

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NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 29: Freddie Freeman #5 of the Los Angeles Dodgers rounds the bases after hitting a two-run home run in the first inning during Game 4 of the 2024 World Series presented by Capital One between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday, October 29, 2024 in New York, New York. (Photo by Dustin Satloff/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

The heading for this slide is actually incorrect. It should just read "Dodgers MVP Candidate," as fence-clearing machine Freddie Freeman has all but sewn up the award (assuming his club wins, of course).

Despite dealing with a sprained ankle that sidelined him for parts of the NLCS, the 35-year-old opened the series with the first-ever walk-off grand slam in a World Series.

Freeman has been bopping ever since, launching home runs in each of the first four games of this series. He's the first player to homer in the first four games of a World Series and has even homered in a record six consecutive World Series Games, dating back to his 2021 performance with the Atlanta Braves.

"I'll look back on it after hopefully we win and get this thing done tomorrow," Freeman told reporters Tuesday night. "Pretty cool. Obviously, hopefully I can keep it going."

Assuming the Dodgers prevail, Freeman is running unopposed in the MVP race. He has more home runs (four to three) and RBI (10 to eight) than all of his teammates combined and is also tied for the team lead in hits (five) and runs (four).

This is truly a performance for the ages, and he'll be rewarded so long as his club can avoid a historic collapse.

Yankees' MVP Candidates

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NEW YORK, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 29: Alex Verdugo #24, Juan Soto #22, Aaron Judge #99 and Jazz Chisholm Jr. #13 of the New York Yankees walk off the field after the end of the third inning during Game Four of the 2024 World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Yankee Stadium on October 29, 2024 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

If the Yankees are able to do the improbable—or, according to history, the impossible—then the story of this series has yet to be written.

In other words, three more New York victories might dramatically reshape the MVP race. Heck, if the Yankees' hurlers can silence the Dodgers' bats, maybe that opens the door for ace Gerrit Cole (New York's Game 5 starter who allowed just one run over six innings in Game 1) or even reliever Luke Weaver (three strikeouts over 3.2 perfect innings so far) to earn the honor.

As for the position players, Anthony Volpe appears the most obvious candidate for New York so far. If this series has shifted, his grand slam is the biggest reason why. Not to mention, he also doubled Tuesday night and became the first player in Series history with a grand slam and two stolen bases in one game.

Beyond that, just about anyone on the Yankees could still emerge as a legitimate candidate. Juan Soto is one of their six players to homer in this series, and he's also the team leader in runs (four), batting average (.286), on-base percentage (.444) and slugging percentage (.571). Jazz Chisholm Jr. is tied for the team lead in hits (four, the same as Soto and Giancarlo Stanton) and has sole possession of first place in steals (four).

Given the power possessed by the heart of this order, though, it wouldn't shock anyone to see Stanton (six homers this postseason) or Aaron Judge (MLB-best 58 blasts in the regular season) slug their way to an MVP.

It's mostly been a nightmarish series for Judge so far (2-for-15 with seven strikeouts), but he did plate his first RBI and stole his first base of the series Tuesday and finished his first game without a strikeout.